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2023: Abdullahi Adamu’s Thrust And Trust In The Turn Of Tinubu To Turn The Tide

Published

1 year ago

on

Abdullahi Adamu APC National Chairman

 

By Bala Ibrahim.

Leadership, particularly political party leadership, is an important responsibility that helps to direct the affairs of the party, for improved efficiency, and the ultimate achievement of it’s goal, which is electoral victory. Leaders are therefore expected to provide the clarity of purpose, motivation, and the needed guidance, for the party to arrive at the bus stop of success. Such thrust from leaders helps in serving several functions that are crucial to the success of the party, especially in the countdown to the general elections.

Nigeria is at that crossroad or critical political juncture, in which every decision made matters beyond the ordinary, and fortunately for the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, the captain of the plane, in the person of Senator Abdullahi Adamu, is a veteran in the art of party politics and the intrigues therein. Because politics is the art of governance, as well as the exercise of control within the party and the society at large, through the making and enforcement of collective decisions, one of the most important functions of a leader is to provide the vision, along with the thrust for the actualization of the vision. Sen. Abdullahi Adamu is not only providing the vision, but also the push or thrust, out of the trust that for the presidential race, it is the turn of Tinubu to turn the tide.

There is an apprehension in the minds of some political pundits, one of whom spoke to me yesterday, that, although the north is the stronghold of the APC, which governs 14 out of the 19 states of the region, but because Tinubu is not from the region, the chances of the north voting for him are slim. They would rather vote for their own, he said. I said to him, sorry, wrong number!. Tinubu’s victory in the north in particular, and the country in general, is a fait accompli.

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All the analysis and permutations are sign posting in the direction of success for Tinubu, and virtually all of them are coming from the mouth of the northerners, including the party chairman, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu. Time without number, I’ve heard the chairman refer to Tinubu as, “ the President in waiting”. And the reason is simple- he is providing the thrust, out of the trust that it is the turn of Tinubu to turn the tide.

To turn the tide means to reverse the situation, and from the body language of the APC northern governors, and the thrust from the party Chairman, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, Tinubu has come to do that, including shaming the sceptics. It may be recalled that, at the last national convention of the party on the 8th of June 2022, Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu polled 1,271 votes, defeating 13 aspirants, after seven others stepped down for him at the last minute. The feat was accomplished through the unanimous support of the 14 northern governors, who were unambiguous in saying that it is the turn of the south to have a go at the presidency.

Yes, there is a justifiable concern that Tinubu would slug it out with the candidates of 16 other parties, including heavy weights like the Waziri of Adamawa, Atiku Abubakar of the People Democratic Party (PDP) and Eng. Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People Party (NNPP), who are not only from the north, but strong forces to reckon with in the region in particular, and the country in general. But again, sorry, wrong number!, there is a collective thrust and trust, that it is the turn of Tinubu to turn the tide. And the crusade is championed by the Chairman, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu.

In the beginning, because of the intrigues that played out, some detractors attempted creating a crack in the crusade, by insinuating something secretly illicit against the candidature of Tinubu, pointing accusing finger at the chairman, but that was only in the imagination of the political nincompoop.

Knowing Sen. Abdullahi Adamu well, alongside his non destructive predisposition, Tinubu has been busy debunking the conspiracy, including a personal visit to the chairman, with a follow up by his wife the next day, where they publicly punctured the machination.

The northern support is not surprising anyway, because, in recent years, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu had taken deliberate steps to build alliances with the political leaders in the north, especially in the states of Katsina and Kano, the key reservoirs of votes in the region. Tinubu’s concern for the concerns of Kano in particular, has helped to woo an incredible support and sympathy for him.

Indeed there is the issue of Kwankwaso and Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau in Kano, but given the political dynamics of Kano, with the antecedent of the state in voting based on circumstantial merits, as they did in voting Abiola against their own, late Bashir Tofa in 1993, many pundits are of the belief that, the support of the northern governors of the APC, and the trust and thrust by the Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, would combine to convince Kano to agree that, it is the turn of Tinubu to turn the tide.

Hon. Festus Keyamo, SAN, the APC Presidential campaign spokesperson was quick with a josh on the PDP, the presumed brain behind the non existent crack in the APC crusade, thus: “If PDP begs us, we may consider donating the real unifier, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to assist in unifying their ranks, to get them ready for their comprehensive defeat in 2023. We want a healthy opposition during the election. We don’t want the excuse that we fought with a disabled opponent”.

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Politics

Nigeria’s Fourth Republic: Politicians Who Accepted Defeat Without Going to Court Since 2003

Published

1 week ago

on

November 22, 2023

By

Dr,Goodluck Jonathan,Engineer Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Dr Kayode Fayemi

 

Abbas Yushau Yusuf, Political Editor

As Nigeria’s Fourth Republic marks 24 years, elections were held in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, and most recently, in 2023 for the offices of councillors, LG Chairman, State Assemblies, Governors, National Assembly, and the office of the President.

By the time the Independent Electoral Commission concludes the process, litigation follows.

Only in 1999 was there very negligible litigation at the courts. The presidential candidate of the joint defunct APP and AD alliance, Chief Samuel Olu Falae, challenged the victory of Former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999, but the courts dismissed his appeal.

The 1999 General elections were conducted by the military administration of General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

By 2003, civilians started to conduct elections, and litigations continued to follow unabated.

Analysts opined that the election season in Nigeria with the highest number of litigations is the recent 2023 general elections.

It is said that 95 percent of the defeated politicians are still in the courts.

Below are some of the prominent Nigerian politicians who congratulated their opponents without going to court or their political parties in 20 years.

Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

Former Nigeria’s President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, is the first Nigerian presidential candidate who did not go to court to challenge his victory after the Independent National Electoral Commission declared his opponent, Muhammad Buhari of the APC, in the March 28 General elections.

Even before the final collation of results, he congratulated former President Muhammadu Buhari. Goodluck Jonathan was Nigeria’s President from May 6, 2010, to May 29, 2015.

Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso

Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was Governor of Kano state from May 29, 1999, to May 29, 2003. He is the only Kano politician who congratulated his opponent since the 2003 election, even though as an incumbent Governor.

Kwankwaso was defeated by Malam Ibrahim Shekarau of the defunct All Nigeria People’s Party. Kwankwaso did not only stop at that; he visited the Governor-elect at the residence with his cabinet and congratulated Malam Shekarau.

Kwankwaso staged a surprise comeback in 2011 after 8 years; he concluded his second tenure on May 29, 2015.

Dr. Kayode Fayemi

Dr. Kayode Fayemi was Governor of Ekiti state from 2010 to 2014 after the Supreme Court sacked Segun Oni of the People’s Democratic Party.

Ekiti state is one of the Nigerian states where off-season elections take place. During the 2014 Governorship election, Dr. Kayode Fayemi of APC was defeated by Peter Ayodele Fayose of the People’s Democratic Party.

Dr. Kayode Fayemi went ahead to congratulate the winner and did not also go to court. Like Kwankwaso of Kano, Dr. Kayode Fayemi also contested in the 2018 election and won, concluding his second term in the year 2022.”

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Politics

“Kano/Zamfara Judicial Coup”. A Coincidence or a Conspiracy?

Published

2 weeks ago

on

November 18, 2023

By

Na'Allah Muhammad Zagga

 

Na’Allah Muhammad Zagga

I’m not a fan of conspiracy theories, but some conspiracy theories are so compelling to be dismissed with a wave of hand. I agree with those who argue that the judiciary coup in Kano and Zamfara Zamfara States are not mere coincidences; they are part of a larger plot to conquer or recapture the North West in 2027. The Muslim/Muslim ticket has turned out to be the biggest political fraud of all time in our recent history. Muslims voted enthusiastically in the mistaken belief that it’s the formula for permanent political conquest of the Christians. And Christian, worried by this sinister agenda, voted massively for Peter Obi to neutralise or defeat this agenda. In the end, both Muslim and Christian voters have been made to look foolish on account of the consequences of subsidy withdrawal.

Unfortunately, the Nigerian voters(both Muslims and Christians) didn’t realize that the Muslim/Muslim ticket had nothing to do with the passion for Islam. Our politicians are not driven by the passion for religion; they are motivated by the passion for power. They merely and selfishly exploit religion religion to attain power.

The total withdrawal of petrol subsidy without any remedial measures to cushion the adverse effects of the policy on millions of ordinary Nigerians has put Muslims and Christians in the same boat. A bag of rice is over N70,000 today and Muslims are not buying food at lower prices for blindly voting for the Muslim/Muslim ticket. Our North Islamic clerics are seething daily at how they have been used and manipulated by politicians. And these clerics have vowed revenge in 2027 in order to teach APC a lesson.

The APC leadership is silently unsettled by the widespread resentment against the party as a result of the current excruciating hardships in the country. The North West is critical to the survival of the party in 2027 and beyond. So, taking over Zamfara and Kano States by any means necessary is part of the 2027 strategy by the party.

Unfortunately, using the judiciary to achieve this agenda will backfire. The will of the people is superior to a standing army, so said a famous thinker. Our conservative judges have given more prominence to technicality at the expense of the will of the people. They’re punishing the voters over trifling legal issues at the expense of the substance of the justice and the will of the people.

Just look at the case of Ahmed Lawan who was imposed on the people by the Supreme Court, despite the fact that he was neither a candidate nor participated in the election that produced Machina as Senator-elect? Then look at the case of Governor Uzodinma, another Supreme Court candidate. This is worse than a military coup. As Lincoln said, no man has the right to rule another without their consent. But it’s happening in Nigeria through our courts.

However, trying to take back Kano and Zamfara States by force through the judiciary will produce political consequences they can’t handle in 2027. Given the current deep-seated resentments against APC in the North West on account of the its betrayal of the voters in the name of the so-called Muslim/Muslim ticket, I don’t see how the strategy of judicial intimidation would mollify the voters to trust the party again, much less expecting to retake the North West. The defeat will be so comprehensive that not even armoured tanks can save the party from being crushed.

The same religious clerics that they had used in the 2023 election will be their own undoing. These clerics are openly angry and they ready to salvage their reputations in the eyes of the people. So, I don’t know how APC can recapture areas or zones where its popularity has depleted to zero. There are limits you can use the judiciary against the will of the people.

The conspiracy against Abba Yusuf and Dauda Lawal will ultimately backfire. It’s naive to mistake people’s silence in the face of political chicanery as acquiescence to injustice. Just imagine how a court would have the luxury to declare a duly conducted election as inconclusive in order to dismantle the mandate of Governor Dauda Lawal by using federal might. This was what they did against Abba Yusuf in 2019, using federal might to rig the election. They even removed a neutral police commissioner Mohammed Wakili and sent a DIG to intimidate voters. But despite the federal might, Abba Yusuf staged a formidable come back in 2023. Now they are determined to force him out by any means through the judiciary. Unfortunately, for APC, its popularity its popularity is at the lowest point. So, I don’t see how party facing haemorrhaging goodwill can recapture areas where the voters are inconsolably angry and waiting for a payback time in 2027.

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Features

Juicy Ministries and the Geo-Political Zones of their Respective Senior Ministers.

Published

3 months ago

on

August 22, 2023

By

Abubakar Dauda

By Abubakar Sadiq Dauda

The region of the bosses of the Super Ministries i.e. Ministries that have either a large budget size for capital expenditure or juicy parastatals under its supervision are as thus:

Works – South-East
Transportation – North-East
Power – South-West
Petroleum – South-South
Gas Resources – South-South
Finance – South-West
Communications – South-West
F.C.T. – South-South
Interior – South-West
Marine – South-West
Aviation – South-South
Defence – North-West
Police Affairs – North-East
Education – North-East
Health – North-East
Agriculture – North-East
Solid Minerals – South-West
Humanitarian – South-South

Take it or leave it, the North-west and the North-central zones did not get their fair portions, due to the fact that, this administration secured more votes in the Northwest and North-central zones combined, if compared to the total score secured in the remaining four Geo-political zones combined.

Read also: Ministerial Nominee’s: Between Fair Proportions and Political Relevance.

However, delivering his remark after the swearing-in, President Tinubu reminded the Ministers that they are ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not Ministers of a particular region or state.

I want to believe and pray that the Ministers will be fair to all states and regions in terms of project delivery and job allocations.

Sadiq is a political analyst and observer, writes from Kano and can be reached via, sadiqdauda55@gmail.com

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